Part II, Introduction, "The Faith of Jesus, Not His Faith, Not Our Faith, Faith As "Establishment." A New Translation of Romans 4

      

Part 2, Introduction, “Faith As Establishment”

Written for First and Laurel Presbyterian Churches on The Occasion of Their 125th Anniversary And The 500th Anniversary of The Reformation

October, 2017

A New Translation of Romans 4

What then shall we say was found by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 Because if Abraham from works was justified, he has a boast, but not before God. 3 Because what does the Scripture say? “And Abraham believed in the God, and it was reckoned to him for justice.” 4 And to him who is working, the wage is not reckoned as grace but as debt, and to him that does not work but is believing on him Him who justifies the ungodly, the establishment of him is reckoned for justice. 6 Quite as also David speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God reckons justice apart from works:

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“Blessed is he whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
    and whose sins are covered;

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Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not reckon sin.”

9 This blessedness therefore, is it upon the Circumcision? or also upon the Uncircumcision? Because (here’s what) we are saying: To Abraham was reckoned the establishment unto justice. 10 How therefore was it reckoned? In circumcision or in uncircumcision? (Answer:) Not in circumcision but in uncircumcision! 11 He took a sign, namely, circumcision, as a seal of the justice of the establishment, precisely in uncircumcision— to make him the father of all those believing (who are) uncircumcised, — righteousness (being) reckoned to them as well. 12 —(he is) father to those who are circumcised (certainly) but not merely the circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the establishment that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

13 For the promise to Abraham and his seed that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of establishment. 14 For if it is the (adherents) of the law who are to be the heirs, establishment is emptied and the promise is idled. 15 —because the law works wrath, but where the law is not, there is no transgression.

16 Therefore: (it’s) from establishment in order to be according to grace, that the promise to the seed may be firm—not only to those of the law but also to those of the establishment of Abraham, (Abraham), who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your seed be.” 19 He did not weaken in the establishment when he thought on his own deadened body —he being about a hundred years old, or when he considered the deadness of Sarah's womb. 20 And towards the promise of God he did not bring a contrary judgment in dis-establishment, but rather was empowered by the establishment, giving glory to God, 21 fully assured that what He promises, He is Mighty to do!  22 Therefore also it was “reckoned to him for justice.” 23 But it was not written on his account alone that “it was reckoned to him,” 24 but rather also on account of us, to whom it was going to be reckoned, to the believers on him who was raised from the dead,  (namely)  Jesus our Lord, 25 who was betrayed because of our trespasses and raised because of our justification.